Here is what our editors will be watching this weekend:
Saturday, August 16th
Aston Villa vs Newcastle - 13:30 CET
The Premier League is back on Friday night, when Liverpool host Bournemouth, but the first real standout clash of the season is the early kick-off on Saturday, which will see Aston Villa face Newcastle.
They were two of the league’s best sides last season, finishing sixth and fifth respectively, but there are question marks over whether they can take the fight to the country’s biggest clubs again, given how their transfer windows have gone.
While the heavyweight sides have all been splashing the cash, Ivorian striker Evann Guessand has been Villa’s only big signing. Loaness Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford were key for the club last season, but they’re still working on bringing the former back to the club permanently, while the latter has joined Barcelona.
Things have gone even worse for Newcastle, though. They’ve missed out on more key targets than you could count on one hand, seeing them join rivals instead, and star man Alexander Isak is refusing to play in a bid to get a move to Liverpool.
Given the summer setbacks, is either side good enough to fight for Champions League qualification? Or does mid-table obscurity await them? We’ll get a good indication this weekend.
Finley Crebolder
Mallorca vs Barcelona - 19:30 CET
It's been another turbulent summer off the pitch for reigning LaLiga champions Barcelona. Their incredibly slapdash transfer policy has seen them struggle to register Marcus Rashford and Joan Garcia before their league opener this weekend.
Despite their manoeuvrings, the Catalan side are still the favourite for the LaLiga title. They will face the usual foes of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in that race, whilst Athletic Club could also surprise some onlookers.
They start this weekend against a Mallorca on the island. Los Piratas have been a regular in the Spanish top flight since 2021, finishing 10th last time out.
Frugal spenders in the transfer market, they have added some interesting members to their squad for the new campaign, bringing in goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom from Chelsea, and Spain's Under-21 international Pablo Torre in from the weekend's opponents.
For opening games, it couldn't get tougher for the hosts, but it is a good test for Hansi Flick's side. Since Mallorca returned to the top flight four years ago, Barcelona are unbeaten with seven wins and one draw; however, they have tended to be close games.
There is always a great atmosphere for the Islanders, expect an interesting curtain-raiser on Saturday night.
Josh Donaldson
Sunday, August 17th
Manchester United vs Arsenal - 17:30 CET
An opening weekend clash between old Premier League foes on Super Sunday would be an exciting way to start any season. Add to that the pressure on both Ruben Amorim and Mikel Arteta to deliver this season, and the result is a fascinating clash in which neither side can afford to lose.
Winning on Sunday afternoon would perfectly kick-start a vital season for both coaches ahead of a brutal early run in for the two Premier League giants.
Aside from two coaches in need of a strong start to the season, another storyline is taking centre stage in the media and among the two fanbases. Viktor Gyokeres will lead Arsenal’s line for the first time, and Benjamin Sesko will almost certainly make his Manchester United debut from the start or off the bench.
Two giant strikers with even bigger expectations to solve long-standing issues in front of goal. The opportunity is there to make themselves instant heroes; a winning goal for either would do just that, and the script is set up for it.
Manchester United vs Arsenal is always a must-watch, but with high expectations on Arsenal, huge pressure on Amorim and exciting new signings in both dugouts, this one promises to be truly blockbuster.
Harry Dunnett
Monday, August 18th
Cincinnati Open finals
The prestigious Cincinnati Open draws to a thrilling conclusion over the next few days, as several of the world's best players look to secure the perfect preparation ahead of the US Open.
Defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka remain in the draw and are favourites to capture back-to-back titles at the Masters 1000 event, while Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, and recently crowned Toronto champion Ben Shelton should provide plenty of competition.
Shelton takes on third seed Alexander Zverev in an intriguing quarter-final clash at 01:00 CET on Saturday, while Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff vs Jasmine Paolini promise to be blockbuster matches in the women's last eight on Friday evening.
Given the star-studded nature of both draws, we're all set for a weekend to remember in Cincinnati, so make sure you follow along ahead of Monday’s finals!
Keep track of the men’s schedule here and the women’s schedule here.
Danny Clark